WASHINGTON 鈥� Attorney General Jeff Sessions argued against a 鈥渟anctuary state鈥� bill making its way through Maryland鈥檚 General Assembly on Monday, saying the bill would put the state 鈥渕ore at risk for violence and crime,鈥� and that it鈥檚 鈥渘ot good policy.鈥�
The , sponsored by Sen. Victor Ramirez, D-Prince George鈥檚 County, in the Senate, would bar local and state authorities from asking people who have been arrested, and crime victims about their citizenship status. It would also prohibit officers from helping immigration enforcement in their communities. A House version has already passed.
On Monday, Sessions was asked about by two fellow students, one of whom was in the country illegally. Sessions answered that 鈥淢aryland is talking about a state law, to make the state a sanctuary state. The governor is opposed to that, I鈥檓 glad to hear. That would be such a mistake.
鈥淚 would plead with the people of Maryland to understand that this makes the state of Maryland more at risk for violence and crime, that it鈥檚 not good policy.鈥�
Rockville has had an informal policy of not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and is before the Town Council. Montgomery County is not a sanctuary jurisdiction.
D.C. is a sanctuary city, and聽Mayor Muriel Bowser has pledged to keep it聽that way.
Sessions went on to announce that the Department of Justice wouldn鈥檛 give any grant money to such jurisdictions.
He said municipalities, states or counties would have to certify that they are not a sanctuary jurisdiction 鈥� specifically, that they comply with Title 8, Section 1373 of the U.S. Code, which prohibits 鈥渓ocal government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, the Immigration and Naturalization Service information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual.鈥�
His statements in the White House briefing room brought to mind tough talk from President Donald Trump鈥檚 campaign and came just three days after the administration鈥檚 crushing health care defeat. Sessions also acknowledged he was clarifying a similar policy adopted by the Obama administration last year.
Trump had said during the campaign that he would 鈥渄efund鈥� sanctuary cities by taking away their federal funding. But legal precedent suggests that would be difficult.
The Justice Department鈥檚 Office of Justice Programs is giving out $4.1 billion this fiscal year for programs such as community policing and more, Sessions said.
Asked what the department would do if jurisdictions continued to refuse to comply with ICE, Sessions said it would be 鈥渄isheartening,鈥� and that he hoped 鈥渢he American people and their constituents in their own cities will communicate with them.鈥�
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a statement, 鈥淭he 10th amendment to the Constitution prohibits the federal government from withholding funds to coerce counties to conform to federal policies unrelated to the appropriation. Baltimore County adheres to the Constitution and to sound policing practices that maintain community trust among residents we are obligated to protect. Like the Muslim ban, I am confident the courts will strike down the Attorney General鈥檚 counterproductive threat.鈥�
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
